Guidelines for Managing Datafiles

Datafiles are physical files of the operating system that store the data of all logical structures in the database. They must be explicitly created for each tablespace.

Note:

Tempfiles are a special class of datafiles that are associated only with temporary tablespaces. Information in this chapter applies to both datafiles and tempfiles except where differences are noted. Tempfiles are further described in "Creating a Locally Managed Temporary Tablespace"

Oracle Database assigns each datafile two associated file numbers, an absolute file number and a relative file number, that are used to uniquely identify it. These numbers are described in the following table:

Type of File Number

Description

Absolute

Uniquely identifies a datafile in the database. This file number can be used in many SQL statements that reference datafiles in place of using the file name. The absolute file number can be found in the FILE# column of the V$DATAFILE or V$TEMPFILE view, or in the FILE_ID column of the DBA_DATA_FILES or DBA_TEMP_FILES view.

Relative

Uniquely identifies a datafile within a tablespace. For small and medium size databases, relative file numbers usually have the same value as the absolute file number. However, when the number of datafiles in a database exceeds a threshold (typically 1023), the relative file number differs from the absolute file number. In a bigfile tablespace, the relative file number is always 1024 (4096 on OS/390 platform).

This section describes aspects of managing datafiles, and contains the following topics:

Determine the Number of Datafiles

At least one datafile is required for the SYSTEM and SYSAUX tablespaces of a database. Your database should contain several other tablespaces with their associated datafiles or tempfiles. The number of datafiles that you anticipate creating for your database can affect the settings of initialization parameters and the specification of CREATEDATABASE statement clauses.

Be aware that your operating system might impose limits on the number of datafiles contained in your Oracle Database. Also consider that the number of datafiles, and how and where they are allocated can affect the performance of your database.

Note:

One means of controlling the number of datafiles in your database and simplifying their management is to use bigfile tablespaces. Bigfile tablespaces comprise a single, very large datafile and are especially useful in ultra large databases and where a logical volume manager is used for managing operating system files. Bigfile tablespaces are discussed in "Bigfile Tablespaces".

Consider the following guidelines when determining the number of datafiles for your database.

Determine a Value for the DB_FILES Initialization Parameter

When starting an Oracle Database instance, the DB_FILES initialization parameter indicates the amount of SGA space to reserve for datafile information and thus, the maximum number of datafiles that can be created for the instance. This limit applies for the life of the instance. You can change the value of DB_FILES (by changing the initialization parameter setting), but the new value does not take effect until you shut down and restart the instance.

When determining a value for DB_FILES, take the following into consideration:

If the value of DB_FILES is too low, you cannot add datafiles beyond the DB_FILES limit without first shutting down the database.

If the value of DB_FILES is too high, memory is unnecessarily consumed.

Consider Possible Limitations When Adding Datafiles to a Tablespace

You can add datafiles to traditional smallfile tablespaces, subject to the following limitations:

Operating systems often impose a limit on the number of files a process can open simultaneously. More datafiles cannot be created when the operating system limit of open files is reached.

Operating systems impose limits on the number and size of datafiles.

The database imposes a maximum limit on the number of datafiles for any Oracle Database opened by any instance. This limit is operating system specific.

You cannot exceed the number of datafiles specified by the DB_FILES initialization parameter.

When you issue CREATE DATABASE or CREATE CONTROLFILE statements, the MAXDATAFILES parameter specifies an initial size of the datafile portion of the control file. However, if you attempt to add a new file whose number is greater than MAXDATAFILES, but less than or equal to DB_FILES, the control file will expand automatically so that the datafiles section can accommodate more files.

Consider the Performance Impact

The number of datafiles contained in a tablespace, and ultimately the database, can have an impact upon performance.

Oracle Database allows more datafiles in the database than the operating system defined limit. The database DBWn processes can open all online datafiles. Oracle Database is capable of treating open file descriptors as a cache, automatically closing files when the number of open file descriptors reaches the operating system-defined limit. This can have a negative performance impact. When possible, adjust the operating system limit on open file descriptors so that it is larger than the number of online datafiles in the database.

See Also:

Your operating system specific Oracle documentation for more information on operating system limits

Determine the Size of Datafiles

When creating a tablespace, you should estimate the potential size of database objects and create sufficient datafiles. Later, if needed, you can create additional datafiles and add them to a tablespace to increase the total amount of disk space allocated to it, and consequently the database. Preferably, place datafiles on multiple devices to ensure that data is spread evenly across all devices.

Place Datafiles Appropriately

Tablespace location is determined by the physical location of the datafiles that constitute that tablespace. Use the hardware resources of your computer appropriately.

For example, if several disk drives are available to store the database, consider placing potentially contending datafiles on separate disks.This way, when users query information, both disk drives can work simultaneously, retrieving data at the same time.

Store Datafiles Separate from Redo Log Files

Datafiles should not be stored on the same disk drive that stores the database redo log files. If the datafiles and redo log files are stored on the same disk drive and that disk drive fails, the files cannot be used in your database recovery procedures.

If you multiplex your redo log files, then the likelihood of losing all of your redo log files is low, so you can store datafiles on the same drive as some redo log files.

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